| I will begin by explaining what a print service is. A | | | | · If a printer breaks down the |
| company comes into your office and they do an | | | | company will fix it the next day or replace the |
| audit on your current printing usage. They will use | | | | printer. |
| some high tech tools that will connect to your | | | | · The total cost of your printing will |
| network and find all your networked printers. This | | | | drop by between 20% and 40% |
| tool will be able to find out how many prints you | | | | · The company has a good print |
| have done on each printer. | | | | management software that lets them know when to |
| Once they have worked out how many prints you | | | | send you toner before you know you need it and it |
| are doing per printer, they need to find out how | | | | just arrives. |
| much you are spending on toner for each printer. | | | | · You know in advance how much your |
| This is the place where the real cost of printing | | | | printing costs will be for the next few years so you |
| sneeks into your printing budget. From my | | | | do not get any shocks. |
| experience and from doing this research, the cheaper | | | | · The print management software |
| the printer that you buy - the more expensive the | | | | provided by the company should give you the |
| toner for this printer will cost. You may even find | | | | information to really streamline your printing service |
| that some of the companies that sell you a printer | | | | and help with total savings. |
| will only let you use their printer toner in the printer. | | | | · By pooling printers in an office and |
| This is something that really grates, as they can | | | | using printers approprate for your office size you will |
| charge what they like for this. Another point to look | | | | find that the printing experience of your users |
| at here is how much you are spending on geting your | | | | improves. |
| printers serviced. | | | | |
| On completion of the print audit, having identified | | | | There are some questions and matters to look out |
| how much you are spending on printing and how | | | | for when selecting a print service and they are as |
| many prints you are doing per month, in colour and | | | | follows: |
| black and white, the company will make a proposal to | | | | · What are the costs if I print above |
| you that you will pay them an average cost of say | | | | or below my monthly or yearly quota of prints. A |
| less than 1c per black and white print and less than | | | | good company will give you a rate nearly identical to |
| 6c per colour print. From my experience toner will | | | | what you have in your contract. |
| generally cost you more than this alone. | | | | · If for some reason you need to |
| The key advantages of having a good external | | | | remove some offices or printers from the contract |
| company provide you with a print service and the | | | | what will the cost of this be. Again a good company |
| points you should be looking for are as follows: | | | | will be flexible here. |